Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE BUCCANEERS, by RICHARD HOVEY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Oh, not for us the easy mirth Last Line: The fearful joy of fate. Subject(s): Pirates; Sea; Piracy; Buccaneers; Ocean | ||||||||
OH, not for us the easy mirth Of men that never roam! The crackling of the narrow hearth, The cabined joys of home! Keep your tame, regulated glee, O pale protected State! Our dwelling-place is on the sea, Our joy the joy of Fate! No long caresses give us ease, No lazy languors warm; We seize our mates as the sea-gulls seize, And leave them to the storm. But in the bridal halls of gloom The couch is stern and strait; For us the marriage rite of Doom, The nuptial joy of Fate. Wine for the weaklings of the town, Their lucky toasts to drain! Our skoal for them whose star goes down, Our drink the drink of men! No Bacchic ivy for our brows! Like vikings, we await The grim, ungarlanded carouse We keep to-night with Fate. Ho, gamesters of the pampered court! What stakes are those at strife? Your thousands are but paltry sport To them that play for life. You risk doubloons, and hold your breath, Win groats, and wax elate; But we throw loaded dice with Death, And call the turn on Fate. The kings of earth are crowned with care, Their poets wail and sigh; Our music is to do and dare, Our empire is to die. Against the storm we fling our glee And shout, till Time abate The exultation of the sea, The fearful joy of Fate. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HALL OF OCEAN LIFE by JOHN HOLLANDER JULY FOURTH BY THE OCEAN by ROBINSON JEFFERS BOATS IN A FOG by ROBINSON JEFFERS CONTINENT'S END by ROBINSON JEFFERS THE FIGUREHEAD by LEONIE ADAMS |
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